1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with an improved, retrofittable connector pin assembly of the type designed for releasably interconnecting a pair of adjacent, apertured concrete form panels. More particularly, it is concerned with such a pin assembly which is designed to be permanently attached to a form panel with a shiftable pin adapted to extend into and through aligned panel apertures for interconnection purposes. A resilient metallic retaining ring is applied about the pin in order to retain the pin in substantial alignment with the panel connection aperture, thereby minimizing pin wobble or misalignment.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many present day poured concrete structures are constructed using prefabricated, reusable, interlocking form sections or panels. These panels are necessarily of relatively high strength, yet preferably are compact and lightweight. Thus, concrete form panels are advantageously constructed from aluminum, and are designed to be interconnected end-to-end as well as in opposed relationship, to present a wall form for example. For purposes of end-to-end interconnection, the panels generally include vertically extending end walls having a series of spaced openings therethrough. When placed in juxtaposition with the end wall apertures in alignment, the individual panels are typically interconnected by means of slotted pin and wedge assemblies. Thus, slotted pins are driven through aligned end wall apertures, and a wedge is then placed within the pin slot in order to lock the individual panels together. When the form is disassembled, the wedges are loosened and removed, and the pins extracted from the form panel apertures.
Use of traditional detached panel connection hardware presents a number of problems. First and foremost, many of the hardened pins and wedges are lost during the normal process of form construction and disassembly, simply because they are not permanently attached to a form panel. Moreover, use of this detached hardware can be labor-intensive, inasmuch as the panels must be held in alignment, while the connection hardware is first properly positioned and then driven into place.
In response to these problems, attempts have been made at developing pin assemblies which are permanently secured to the form panels. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,717 describes such an assembly wherein a pin or bolt is shiftably mounted adjacent the end wall of a form panel, and is adapted for passage through aligned end wall apertures for connection purposes. In addition, the pin includes a groove adjacent the rearward end thereof which is adapted to receive a locking wedge when the pin is in its retracted position, thereby maintain the pin in this position and allowing wedge storage.
Another attached hardware system makes use of a tapered pin having a rearward extension received within a slide block, the latter carrying a synthetic resin disk designed to maintain the position of the locking pin relative to the panel end wall aperture. Here again, the pins are driven forwardly and passes through aligned panel apertures, and a tapered wedge is used to complete the panel interconnection.
One drawback of these prior designs stems from the fact that they are not readily retrofittable, requiring welded-on attachments to the individual form panels. Furthermore, they relatively heavy, which is significant when it is considered that a large number of forms are typically transported to a construction site. Finally, these designs suffer from the fact that, owing to normal pin wear, the pins can become significantly misaligned or subject to "wobble." This is objectionable not only because the installer must manually align the pins before panel connection can be completed, but also because such misaligned pins may prevent or interfere with stacking and handling of detached panels.
Accordingly, there is a real and unsatisfied need in the art for a simplified, lightweight, readily retrofittable, permanently attached connection pin assembly for use with concrete form panels which overcomes the problem of pin misalignment.